Northwest’s First Grocery Chain Purchases & Supports Renewable Energy
  
Wild Oats Natural Marketplace sets a precedent as the first grocery chain in the Northwest to purchase renewable energy for its Portland, Vancouver and Bend store locations, committing 10 percent of its energy source to wind power. The green energy suppliers include Pacific Power’s Blue Sky(SM) program.

“The decision to switch to renewable energy is a result of Wild Oats’ continuing commitment to preserving the region’s environment and economy, adding momentum to our other sustainability efforts,” said Mark Cockcroft, Western Regional Marketing Manager.

Diane Zipper, director of green power programs with the Renewable Northwest Project (RNP), believes Wild Oats’ purchase positions the company at the forefront of sustainability practices by businesses and consumers. “More businesses are becoming conscious of the environmental impacts of their energy use, and are choosing to purchase renewable energy to offset those impacts and reach their sustainability goals,” said Zipper. “We applaud Wild Oats’ efforts to improve the livability of our region through their commitment to green power.”

Renewable energy from solar, wind and geothermal resources helps protect the environment, releasing little or no pollutants into the air and water and producing no hazardous wastes. Additionally, renewable energy produced in the Northwest helps keep energy dollars at home, provides jobs in rural areas of the region and contributes to the local tax base of the communities where they are located.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the generation of electricity is the largest source of industrial air pollution in the nation. To reduce overall pollution, over the course of one year, Wild Oats’ conversion to 10 percent green power will have the same environmental impact as the following:

• Not driving 1.3 million miles
• Planting 244 acres of trees
• Avoiding 616 tons of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere
 
Wild Oats recognizes the Northwest as a progressive region to focus its sustainability practices. The company was the first to introduce biodegradable corn containers to the region, cutting down on energy consumption and lowering the amount of greenhouse emissions. In addition to reducing negative environmental impact with its purchase of green energy, the company has and will continue to construct stores with recycled building materials and passive lighting, promoting energy efficiency and reducing operating and maintenance costs.

RNP was formed in 1994 by a broad coalition of public-interest organizations and energy companies, to promote renewable energy development in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. Since its inception, RNP has been a forceful advocate for basing the region’s energy future on clean, renewable resources such as solar, wind and geothermal.

Wild Oats Markets, Inc. is a nationwide chain of natural and organic food markets in the U.S. and Canada. With annual sales of nearly $960 million, the company currently operates 102 stores in 24 states and British Columbia, Canada. The Company’s markets include: Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, Henry’s Marketplace, Sun Harvest and Capers Community Markets. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.wildoats.com .